Nomad's Hot Dog Addiction
by Eunice Branca
Summary: Nomad visits Hubert's Hot Dog Stand...he'll never be the same again.


Nomad's Hot Dog Addiction 

Disclaimer:  I don't own Neopets

Hi.  My name is Nomad49, and I have a confession to make.  I am addicted to hot dogs.  Sure, it may sound like an innocent enough habit, but I think it's getting out of control.

You see, it all started with your average sunny day.  After a run in the park, my owner, sampear, decided to stop in at a little slice of heaven called Hubert's Hot Dog Stand to get a couple of dogs.  Since I had never had one before, I couldn't decide from Hubert's very unique menu.  So Hubert himself offered a hand, and suggested I just try a normal hot dog, seeing as how I wasn't even sure I'd like the plain one.

But as soon as that plump, delicious dog touched my lips, I knew there was no turning back.  I just had to have another.  But sampear didn't want me spoiling my dinner, so she took me on home.

The next weekend, sampear decided we should all go out to the rainbow pool and watch the newly painted pets get their new coats.  It was a favorite pastime of ours.  Since we all hadn't yet decided on what color we each wanted ourselves painted, it was a good chance to take a look at the different color schemes and gather ideas.  My brothers, jibberjabbler, godzilla0257, and Jinx713 were all very excited about this family outing.  Me?  All I could think about was how I was going to convince my family we should get hot dogs while we were out.

I had been dreaming of hot dogs all week long, and about how delicious the other kinds must be!  So during the entire ferry ride to Neopia Central and the walk to the rainbow pool, I was scheming.  At one point jibberjabbler looked at me quizzingly, but I just pretended that I was interested in the wild Koi who were taking a morning swim.

While at the rainbow pool, my brothers were excitedly trying to pick out which paintbrush they would undoubtedly ask sampear to buy for them.  But I was thinking about which hot dog I would ask her to buy for me.  When the crowd got too thick and we could no longer see the glistening waves of the pool, sampear suggested we go eat lunch at one of the lovely restaurants in the marketplace.  Just as godzilla0257 was suggesting we go to the pizzeria, I jumped in and offered the idea of (sigh) Hubert's Hot Dog Stand.

Jibberjabbler and Jinx713 immediately agreed with my suggestion, so godzilla0257 only pouted for a moment and then brightened.  He suddenly remembered the video game machines they had at Hubert's!  

So all was well and we set off through the streets of Neopia, pausing at the Toy Shop window to beg for more toys (a pet can never have too many TOYS!!!), to which sampear just smiled and shook her head, telling us "maybe next time" just like she always did to keep us in anticipation of our next trip.

When we arrived at Hubert's Hot Dog Stand, I felt my mouth begin to water and my stomach begin rumbling.  Never before had I been so excited to eat lunch anywhere in my entire life.  

While I stood in line with my family, my brothers and sampear each decided on which hot dog they would eat.  Sampear was going to have the Hot Dog with mustard and relish, Jinx713 decided on the Megachili Hot Dog (anything for an excuse to get messy with his food), jibberjabbler (always the lightest eater of us boys) chose the Healthy Grass Hot Dog, and godzilla0257 (the heaviest eater I have ever known) chose the Triple Dog with a side of chocolate sauce.

My decision, however, was a bit harder to make.  I was torn across all sides of the menu!  Did I was a Mayo Hot Dog or a Spotted one?  A Seafarers or Extra Gherkin?  Finally, after much deliberation, I chose the one that looked the most promising.  A Polka Dot Hot Dog.  When Hubert handed it to me, I thought I would faint for sure!  It was so beautiful, and I could feel the aroma of it inside my nostrils, the sweetest smell I'd ever known!

We took our treasures – I mean, hot dogs – over to the Money Tree as it casts the most shade, ideal for a picnic.  Godzilla0257 and Jinx713 were done with theirs in moments, washing it down with cold Neocola that sampear had bought at Hubert's as well.  Sampear was done next, followed by jibberjabbler, who usually ate the slowest.  Everyone looked at me in surprise when the saw me chewing what was only my third small bite, with my eyes closed, savoring every last bit of flavor before finally swallowing it.  My brothers began to laugh, but sampear only looked at me worriedly.

Later that night at our home on Mystery Island, sampear came into my room.  Sitting on my bed next to my desk, where I sat reading a book about faeries, she stared at me until I looked up from my book.

She told me she knew that I had more than a normal fondness for hot dogs, and that she wanted to help me defeat this attachment before it got out of hand.  Now, at the time, I didn't believe that I had more than a normal attraction to hot dogs, so I denied her accusation and told her I didn't need any help as I had no problem.  But my "problem" was about to get much worse.

A few days after my conversation with sampear, I went over to my neofriends, nymphette2 and desmo 's house.  They just live a few blocks away, so I figured I would be a safe distance from Hubert's, therefore able to control my cravings.  But I couldn't have been more wrong.

Nymphette2 and desmo 's owners, mickandlorri, had decided they would take us into Neopia that day to do a little window shopping.  They were looking to buy a few items in the market that day, and rather than leave us at home they thought they would allow us to tag along.  I still had some money I had earned at the employment agency a few weeks back, and I already had visions of hot dogs dancing around in my head.

Once in the buzzing center of town, mickandlorri decided they would give us twenty minutes in the toy store by ourselves.  Nymphette2 had a birthday coming up, and they were unquestionably going to buy her a present while we were out today.  I took the opportunity to propose the idea of going to the hot dog stand to my two friends.

"Gee, Nomad, we'd really love to," nymphette2 began, glancing at desmo .  "But, you see, we're not really big fans of hot dogs, if you know what I mean."

I started at her in disbelief.  How could anyone not love the delightful, luscious, absolutely scrumptious taste of the most wonderful food to ever grace the face of the planet?!?!?!?!  She had without a doubt gone completely mad, and I would need desmo 's help in escorting her to the proper authorities.  But when I glanced over at my dear friend, who's sister undoubtedly needed very immediate medical help, I saw him nodding his head sympathetically, as if – impossible! – he agreed with his sister.

I backed away from these two sick pets, backed away and turned around, running to the only safe haven in the nearby marketplace.

Hubert's Hot Dog Stand.

Running to the door, ready to throw it open and be embraced by the smell of fresh buns baking in the ovens, of the pink delectable meat slowly roasting over an open fire, I realized that the door would not open.  It appeared it was locked.  I backed away from it, my jaw dropped so far it nearly touched the ground, until I saw the sign.

"OUT OF STOCK.  COME BACK SOON."

What terrible Neopians could have possible bought all of the yumminess out of that store, therefore devastating a Lupe who now sat miserably on the curb, chin in paws.

I heard footsteps coming nearer.  I knew it was my friends, approaching gently from my left.  I tried to ignore them, but they sat on either side of me and put something under my eyes.  Could it be?  But how?

There, in desmo 's hand, was a hot dog.

"But where did you get it?" I asked, feeling a tear about to surface in my eye.

"A little shop down the road was selling it for really cheap.  Having a closeout sale or something," my darling friend nymphette2 said.

I looked at the hot dog, preparing myself for that wonderful first bite.  I slowly let my teeth sink into it, and, holding a piece of it in my mouth, realized something.

My mouth was burning on fire!!!!!!!!!!!!  It felt as if someone had lit a match under my tongue and was attempting to put it out with Tabasco sauce!!!!!!!!!!!!

Desmo  and nymphette2 burst out in laughter.  "That ought to teach you!" they said between bursts of giggles.  I looked down at the hot dog in my hand, and, peeling back the wrapper a bit, realized that I was holding a Flaming Hot Hot Dog!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just when I thought I couldn't take the heat in my mouth any longer, nymphette2 held out a Neocola for me.  I hurriedly gulped it down and tossed the empty can, along with my remaining hot dog, in the nearby trash can.  And you know what?  I haven't touched a hot dog since!  I guess that's what friends are for.


End file.
